Day 37: Thick Skinned

Today’s pair are some serious business. I have a style-crush on one of the fashionable femmes here at the office, and they caught my attention because they reminded me of something she might wear. Nearly a 4″ chunk pale wood heel, natural suede straps and square pyramid stud embellishments on the front. Part of the attraction was their ‘interestingly odd factor,’ and the challenge of how to incorporate them into my wardrobe. It’s a lot of suede, to be sure…the thick straps are almost bondage-esque. Too much for me? Should I have left them for someone else, or really, no one?

prov⋅e⋅nance

[prov–uh-nuhns,-nahns] –noun

place or source of origin: The provenance of the shoes has yet to be determined.

Date of Purchase: Spring 2008

Circumstances: I embarked on a lunch hour retail shopping trip and ended up in Old Navy, land of inexpensive and dispensable knits. I remember digging around the clearance section at the back of the store and finding a huge assortment of shoes. I was surprised at the dressier offerings, and even more surprised to find them on clearance for less than $10 a pair. Well, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised at the price or that a pair of suede chunk heel sandals would not necessarily be an Old Navy customer fav. They were odd and interesting…and cheap. So home they came (along with another pair yet to be displayed here) and since have given me much food for thought on if buying a challenging shoe is worth the effort. At $9.97, I think so.

Compliment Meter: 1. Not a lot going on here. I could see people looking at them, pondering them, and not saying anything. Generally, not a good sign. Shoe confidence level: Lukewarm.

Comfort: The height of the heel makes them a challenge. The straps definitely keep them securely on my feet, but the front strap on the right foot rubs a lot. I wanted to take them off by 3 but managed all day. Overall, a 5 out of 10.